Sebastian Horsley

Sebastian Horsley (born 1962) is a London writer and artist best known for having undergone a voluntary crucifixion. Horsley's in-your-face writings often revolve around his dysfunctional family, his drug addictions, sex, and his reliance on prostitutes.

Background

Horsley is the elder son of Nicholas Horsley, the millionaire chairman of Northern Foods, which had been founded by Nicholas's father. His mother, the former Valerie Edwards, was a Welsh typist. [http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/relationships/story/0,16676,1662983,00.html I said yes to marriage the first time we met] by Valerie Walmsley-Hunter, The Guardian, December 10, 2005, accessed October 19, 2007] He has an elder sister, Ashley. After his parents' divorce, Horsley's father married Sabitha Sarkar (married 1975-1987) and Alwyne Law (married 1998). His mother did not remarry but later became known as Valerie Walmsley-Hunter.

Both of his parents were alcoholics and indulged in numerous affairs before divorcing in 1975. As Horsley wrote in his memoirs, "Clearly everyone in my life who should have been vertical was horizontal". In an interview she gave to the Sunday Times, Horsley's mother admits that her son's childhood was profoundly difficult, saying, "I don't think Nicholas ever went to bed sober and I was always in a fog. Sebastian and my other two children were accidents and, though it seems shocking to admit, I drank all the way through my pregnancies." Still, she added, "I tried not to be drunk when the kids came home from school ..." [http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2381795.ece Relative Values: Sebastian Horsley and his mother, Valerie] , interviews by Ria Higgins, Sunday Times, September 9, 2007, accessed October 19, 2007]

In 1983, Horsley married Evlynn (née Evelynn [sic] Anne) Smith, the daughter of a Scottish painter and decorator; they separated in 1990. Half of the art and furniture-design company Precious McBane, she died of an aneurysm at age 40. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&targetRule=10&xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F04%2F30%2Fdb3002.xml Obituary: Evlynn Smith] , Daily Telegraph, last updated April 29, 2003, accessed October 19. 2007]

Art and writing

In August 2000 Horsley traveled to the Philippines to experience a crucifixion, in order to prepare for a series of paintings on the topic. Refusing pain killers, he was nailed to a cross and passed out. The foot rest broke and he fell off. A film and photos of the event, as well as his subsequent paintings of crosses, were exhibited in London in 2002. [ [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,722216,00.html The agony and the ecstasy.] "The Observer", 26 May 2002]

In an editorial article in "The Observer" in 2004, he described his preference for sex with prostitutes, writing "What I hate with women generally is the intimacy, the invasion of my innermost space, the slow strangulation of my art." He also stated that he himself had worked as a prostitute for a while. He argued that prostitution should not be legalized, as that would take away part of its thrill. [ [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,1306267,00.html The brothel creeper.] , by Sebastian Horsley. "The Observer", 19 September 2004]

Horsley ran a monthly column in the "Erotic Review" from 1998 to 2004. In early 2006, Horsley together with Marion McBride began to run a weekly sex advice column in "The Observer". Four months later, after graphic discussions of oral and anal sex had lead to numerous complaints from readers, the column was discontinued. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1769509,00.html The Readers' editor on ... a sex column too far.] , "The Observer", May 7, 2006]

Horsley, a self-described dandy [ [http://www.newstatesman.com/200610160054 Beautiful and damned] , "New Statesman", 16 October 2006] , praised his chosen home of Soho in an article in 2006. [ [http://www.thedrawbridge.org.uk/issue_2/in_the_i_of_the_storm/ In the I of the storm] , by Sebastian Horsley. "The Drawbridge", issue 2, 2006]

In September 2007, the Spectrum London gallery staged "Hookers, Dealers, Tailors", a retrospective by Horsley. [Higgins, Ria. [http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2381795.ece "Relative Values: Sebastian Horsley and his mother, Valerie"] , "The Sunday Times", 9 September 2007. Retrieved 31 January 2007.] The show documented his diving in Australian shark-infested water and copiously ingesting deadly drugs. [Lack, Jessica. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/exhibitions/story/0,,2163479,00.html "Preview: Sebastian Horsley"] , "The Guardian", 8 September 2007. Retrieved 31 January 2007.]

Rivalry with Nigel Tewksbury

Horsley has an ongoing rivalry with self-proclaimed "Aesthete/Recluse" Nigel Tewksbury. The two dandies show many similarities: both write extensively about drugs and whores and both claim to be artful and stylish. However, relative to Horsley, Tewksbury is more philosophical and has a greater tendency to shut out the world entirely when need be. Tewksbury is more of a classic dandy whereas Horsley incorporates more modern aspects, such as skulls and rock-and-roll, into his Dandyism.

The two are known to compete over whores in seedy London districts. It is unclear whether their rivalry is friendly or genuinely cantankerous.

Autobiography

His memoir, "Dandy in the Underworld" (ISBN 1841157546), named after the T. Rex album of same name (Horsley counts Marc Bolan as one of his idols) was published in the UK by Sceptre in September 2007 and in the USA in March 2008 from Harper Perennial. In it, he claims to have had an affair with the Scottish gangster-turned-artist Jimmy Boyle. Horsley further stated that his late wife, Evlynn, also had an affair with Boyle, [http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1358152007 Boyle's Boy] by Jackie McGlone, "The Scotsman", August 27, 2007, accessed October 19, 2007] who served as best man at the couple's wedding, according to Horsley's mother.

U.S. entry denied

Horsley was refused entry into the United States March 19, 2008, after arriving at Newark Airport for a book tour. Customs denied his entry claiming issues of moral turpitude. "...travelers who have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude (which includes controlled-substance violations) or admit to previously having a drug addiction are not admissible..." said customs spokeswoman, Lucille Cirillo. After eight hours of questioning, he was placed on a plane and sent back to London. Horsley had told the Associated Press that he had prepared for the visit; his one concession: removing his nail polish. [ [http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=214316&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=31024 Disney to revive Famous Five] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.sebastianhorsley.typepad.com/ Sebastian Horsley's Blog]
* [http://www.crucifixlaneproject.com/ Crucifix Lane Project]
* [http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1358152007 "Boyle's Boy", a profile of Horsley in The Scotsman, 2007]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1000015.ece Obituary of Nicholas Horsley]
* [http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/relationships/story/0,16676,1662983,00.html Interview with Valerie (Edwards Horsley) Walmsley-Hunter, The Guardian, 2005]
* [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,722216,00.html Article about Horsley and his crucifixion in the Observer, 2002]
* [http://arts.independent.co.uk/books/features/article2016602.ece Independent books]